January 04, 2012

Some football updates while exiled in Dolphinland on coaching search watch:

FIU will be looking for a new offensive coordinator now that Scott Satterfield is heading back to Appalacian State as offensive coordinator. What's your feeling on this move? Good? Bad?

I thought while FIU's offense's scheme played to its strengths, the Panthers did tend to get repetitive and into a pattern (not always the same thing) on play calls. They didn't use their tight ends enough, either, in the red zone and, yes, that did gnaw at me the whole season, especially when you see the matchup problems Jonathan Faucher and Colt Anderson could cause. FIU's offense was both explosive and inconsistent.

November 05, 2011

Andre Fernandez here live at Houchens Industries - L.T. Smith Stadium at Western Kentucky Univrsity. I'll be filling in for David J. Neal for today's pivotal game between FIU and the Hilltoppers.

I'll be posting some scoring updates and key plays here. Feel free to comment if you wish. But I will mainly be tweeting so if you wanna follow me @AndreMHSports, that's where I'll be posting most of my updates.

FIU (5-3, 2-2 SBC) needs this one to stay near the top of the Sun Belt Standings and in realistic contention for a bowl berth. Western Kentucky (4-4, 4-1) comes in riding a 4-game winning streak.

Louisiana-Lafayette and Arkansas State, the other two Sun Belt teams FIU is chasing are also in action this afternoon. I'll keep you posted on those games.

July 02, 2011

SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE: This was all confirmed Saturday night during a late dinner. But after fajitas, fell asleep, so I haven't posted said confirmation until now. Back to the original Saturday night post below....

As I sit here listening to the cool themes from several Quinn Martin shows, I'm trying to confirm a text message I got while showering off the funk of a day spent mostly at Miami Beach's Flamingo Park (where goddesses and gods walk our Earth as lifeguards who watch over my daughter and taught her to swim): Garrett Wittels has signed with the St. Louis Cardinals organization and will be assigned to the Batavia Muckdogs in the short-season New York-Penn League.

This would reunite Wittels with former FIU teammate Jeremy Patton, who is batting .315 with 11 RBI, a .444 slugging percentage, but also seven strikeouts.

Wittels had one year of eligibility left at FIU, but it's no shock he'll be moving on from the suburbs adjacent to Sweetwater. Looking at the draft, there's no doubt that had he not had the sexual assault charges in the Bahamas hanging over his head, Wittels would've been drafted. Once those were dropped, he was free to go in more ways than one.

To close this post, not an epilogue, but a nod to the show that taught me the meaning of the word, "epilogue."

February 13, 2011

The men's basketball team lost at Middle Tennessee Saturday afternoon. Freshman Phil Taylor led the Panthers with a season-high 21 points on 5 of 10 shooting from the field. Taylor was 8 of 10 from the foul line.

"I thought Middle played a good game," FIU coach Isiah Thomas said after the game. "They kicked out tail on the boards. That is the story of the game the rebounding effort."

The Blue Raiders out rebounded FIU 37 to 20, including 15 to 6 on offensive rebounds.

"I've been telling my team this whole years it's about rebounding and foul shots," Thomas said. "If you can't make free throws you got no shot."

FIU was 22 of 33 from the foul line.

FIU fell early in the game, with Middle Tennessee taking a 12-point lead into halftime. The loss marks the third straight for FIU, who is 2 of 10 on the road this season. With three games left before the conference tournament, FIU is trying to recover from a late-season slide that has moved the Panthers to the bottom of the east division standings.

FIU has a week to prepare for its next game against rival FAU on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Owls squeaked out a 73-72 win at home against FIU on Feb. 5.

P.S.

I start a week-long furlough on Monday and will not be around till the following Monday. Not fun. Talk to you guys in a week.

September 01, 2010

FIU's season opener falls on Sept. 11, the ninth anniversary of the
terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

To
honor South Florida military members and first responders, the Golden
Panthers are offering two free tickets to those who serve.

With valid identification, tickets can be picked up on game day at FIU
Stadium's box office, located in the R. Kirk Landon Fieldhouse.

The school also is offering free admission to elementary and middle
schools, youth sports leagues, and nonprofit organizations through its
Community Partners Kids Club program.

The athletic program asks any youth group interested in tickets to call Liz Augustin
at 305-348-0154 or e-mailborrelll@fiu.edu. Community Partners Kids Club
tickets are available for all five home games this year.

This is what Middle Tennesse head coach Rick Stockstill had to say about Dasher.

On Dwight Dasher's current state after the NCAA violationHe
is doing well. Obviously, he is very disappointed at the moment. The
team has rallied around him. He is has been humbled with this situation
and knows he made a mistake. That is part of your responsibility as a
coach to help these players grow as people.

On naming a replacement starter for Thursday's game against
MinnesotaNo starter has been named because we still have work to
do. Today (Friday) is like Sunday in a normal game week, so we have a little
time. We have a pretty good idea of who it is going to be, but not sure yet.

On offensive changes as a results of Dwight
Dasher's suspension It changes things a little bit. Both our
quarterbacks are good enough to do what we want to do offensively. Each of them
is a little different in their strengths and weaknesses.

Where Dwight could carry the ball 15 to 20 times a game, the others cannot do
it quite as much, but both can run the ball. We will still run the ball with the
quarterback and our passing game will not change.